FJR Review in Super Bike Magazine

[V GER]

THE 2006 AE IS THE GREATEST MOTORCYCLE IN THE VISIBLE UNIVERSE

Thank You

V

 

[RadioHowie]

Outside of a disadvantage in tight spaces at slow speeds, I just can't find anything wrong with the AE.

Why would anyone be shifting, AE or standard, in tight spaces at slow speeds?

Can't beat those quick downshifts before the corner or upshifts coming out of it.

Yep...55 times a minute!

 

[RadioHowie]

THE 2006 AE IS THE GREATEST MOTORCYCLE IN THE VISIBLE UNIVERSE



Thank You

V

1) bikerkash, a former AE owner, disagrees with you.

2) have you ridden EVERY motorcycle in the visible universe?

3) quit shouting!

 

[HaulinAshe]

+1 You got that right. Its completely unfair to have anybody jump on a AE and be allowed to review it.

I completely agree! Gunny!

Therfore, Yamaha should send me one to ride for say... 100,000 miles and THEN I'll review it for them.

 

[Ford68xl]

Dude, you're just fixated on the AE/standard thing, ain't ya? Feelin' defensive?

Not feeling defensive at all. Just speaking from experience. Can you say the same thing?

The AE is for you. Awesome. Glad ya like it. But you are, among motorcycle riders, in the minority. Car drivers? Yep, here in the States they love their automatics. Hard to shift when you've got your Starbucks in one hand and the cell phone in the other. But motorcyclists on the whole have failed to make autos a long-term proposition. There have been a few now & then, but my bet is that it remains a very small segment of the market. If they were of interest, there'd be lots of 'em out there.

Actually, what I think has been holding back true automatic transmissions in motorcycles is the size of the packaging and the efficiency of the tranny itself. As technology makes autos for bikes that actually work you will see more and more of them built. Oh, in case you weren't aware, the AE isn't an automatic transmission its an auto clutch, but you knew that right?

Traffic don't matter if you're a standard trans aficionado. If it does to you, well, don't live where there is traffic or get an automatic. No skin off my nose. Short of becoming a paraplegic, I ain't gonna be drivin' no automatics. They suck harder than a Times Square hooker wantin' to go home.

This has to be some of the most intelligent words ever spoken on this forum. Yeah, I think I'll move to where there is no traffic. That seems like a viable option. I guess the Times Square Hooker Statement is from from experience because you obviously have never ridden a motorcycle with an automatic or an auto clutch (that would be the AE FJR, but you knew that, right?).

 

[Jazzzzz]

Why would anyone be shifting, AE or standard, in tight spaces at slow speeds?

I think the issue has more to do with there being no manual clutch than it does with trying to shift at low speeds.

 

[TWISTEDPILOT]

At least the Brits say whats on there minds when reviewing a motorbike. Unlike most magazines in publication here. Most are driven by " What kind of review do you want us to write to sell your motorbike " Seems every year, whatever was the Best, is the Worst the following year, or its their turn on the podium ,,, related to how much they are willing to spend in advertising

dollars. If you really take a look at the history of whats on TOP, it usually changes year to year. Go review the magazines and you will see. Bottom line is,,,,,,,,, IF YOU LIKE IT,,, WANT IT,,, BUY IT,,, AND RIDE IT.

 

[SR-71]

"I know that the whole subject of motorcycle comparos gets people all worked up,..."

And yet the speak continues... :dntknw:

1 million riders = 1 million different opinions

 

[TWISTEDPILOT]

P.S. ,,,,, Hey Kevin, Go ride a TRIUMPH SPEED TRIPLE or ROCKETT III. I believe you will change your outlook, If you can handle the power and torque. I believe these are British bikes?

 

[Scotty]

Outside of a disadvantage in tight spaces at slow speeds, I just can't find anything wrong with the AE.

Why would anyone be shifting, AE or standard, in tight spaces at slow speeds?

Can't beat those quick downshifts before the corner or upshifts coming out of it.

Yep...55 times a minute!

It is not the fact you are shifting up and down in the parking lot, it is the lack of "FINE CONTROL" you have when you can slip the clutch with your left hand to crawl forward at very, very slow pace..

 

[RadioHowie]

Outside of a disadvantage in tight spaces at slow speeds, I just can't find anything wrong with the AE.

Why would anyone be shifting, AE or standard, in tight spaces at slow speeds?

Can't beat those quick downshifts before the corner or upshifts coming out of it.

Yep...55 times a minute!

It is not the fact you are shifting up and down in the parking lot, it is the lack of "FINE CONTROL" you have when you can slip the clutch with your left hand to crawl forward at very, very slow pace..

You mean like the FINE CONTROL you have with judicious applications of throttle?

 

[double_entendre]

Dude, you're just fixated on the AE/standard thing, ain't ya? Feelin' defensive?

Not feeling defensive at all. Just speaking from experience. Can you say the same thing?

Some people learn from experience. Others can learn from the experience of others. I’m not sayin’ anything, I’m just sayin….

Ya see, the problem with your “logic” is that if I follow it to its extension, I shouldn’t be able to judge, say, the handling of an Excursion against, say, my M3 ragtop without having driven one. My read of an Excursion’s spec sheet would suggest that it doesn’t corner for shit nor does it stop or accelerate particularly well. On the other hand, back seat passengers fit into it whereas passengers in my M3 are best off if the don’t have legs. But you think I have to buy one and drive it for 100,000 miles before I form an opinion?

In a similar vein, I should have to buy a Harley and ride it for 10,000 miles before I form an opinion. But I can look at the spec sheets and say that for me this thing is a piece of crap. Harley says one of their bikes (one of the Dynaglides?) can manage an unimpressive 32 to 34 degree lean angle. Or you can get an FZ1 which boasts a 49 degree lean angle. I’d say I can draw a conclusion about handling from that. (I couldn’t find any cites about the lean angle for the FJR.) The Super Glide says it has Rake/trail: 29 degrees/4.7 in compared to the FJR’s 26 degrees/ 4.3 in. Am I allowed to draw conclusions from that? Apparently not by your logic.

I’m just sayin’ the AE is 1) Not for me and 2) Not in very high demand based on how many you see on the sales floor.

Actually, what I think what has been holding back true automatic transmissions in motorcycles is the size of the packaging and the efficiency of the tranny itself. As technology makes autos for bikes that actually work you will see more and more of them built. Oh, in case you weren't aware, the AE isn't an automatic transmission its an auto clutch, but you knew that right?

I’m rounding. Automatic is automatic to my eyes, whether we’re talking just the clutch or a fully automatic transmission. But yes I knew & thank you for your sarcasm. I can see a full automatic succeeding in the USA. Why not? Most drivers are pretty detached from their surroundings and thus another way to get more detached riders on the road would probably play well.

Personally, I hope that the witty observation by Warchild in another forum holds true: “Poll results are running about 9-to-1 in favor of the heterosexual version of the bike.”

This has to be some of the most intelligent words ever spoken on this forum. Yeah, I think I'll move to where there is no traffic. That seems like a viable option.

Hey, you’re the one bitching about riding in traffic and how your limp left wrist can’t handle pulling in the clutch to shift, not me. My give-a-shit meter is sitting on zero when asked about where you choose to live.

I guess the Times Square Hooker Statement is from from (sic) experience because you obviously have never ridden a motorcycle with an automatic or an auto clutch (that would be the AE FJR, but you knew that, right?).

I haven’t ridden on a hooker or an AE FJR. I have driven an automatic and I have stayed at a Holiday Inn Express. It’s not for me—the AE, that is. I don’t have to drive an AE to know that I don’t want the computer figuring out the clutch modulation for me.

Now then. Here’s some rope:

Piss up it.

Rancho

 

[RadioHowie]

Gazing into my crystal ball (the one with a Warn-O-Meter already at 50%) I see this thread getting the axe real soon. And some ad(min)monishing to certain attendees of the selfsame thread.

 

[cpsfjr]

double entendre, I don't understand much of what you're saying, nor do I think you do either. :blink:

 

[mooniac]

I have been riding motorcycles for 40 years. (not old just started young). I have owned more then 25 different bikes. I have all my hands,fingers,feet and toes and they all continue to work well. I also have driven and or flown many high performance cars and flying machines. I think my experience qualifies me to render an opinion on the AE which I happen to own.. To me it is not whether it is good or bad, it's just that it is different. I think it works very well and my AE is a real blast to drive. I enjoy power shifting the AE and knowing that I have something that is unique and different. Not everyone has to like what I drive or fly nor do I have to like what others drive or fly, nor should you care if I like what you drive. Not every machine you drive and or own has to be perfect in every way, especially if you have more than one machine. I have a few bikes and they are all different. I wouldn't mind adding a Harley to the stable and god knows they aren't perfect.

 

[phil]

Opinions are like assholes . . . . . everybody's got one.

 

[mooniac]

Opinions are like assholes . . . . . everybody's got one.

And your point here Phil is?

 

[hoghead]

Luckily, no one cares what the british think.................




KM

:lol:

hh

 

[burnergold2B]

Every publication that has reviewed the AE has hated the tranny/cluch and downgraded the FJR accordingly. The AE been a real drag on the bike's reputation, at least in the press.

Road Racing World magazine loved the AE's performance on the road AND on the racetrack. They did not downgrade the AE at all, but in fact praised it for how seamlessly it performed as near to a slipper clutch as could be.

 

[RonC]

Luckily, no one in the USA cares what the British think.................KM

Fixed it for you.

Frankly, I trust the reviews I get in the U.K. mags like Bike, Ride, and TWO more than any of the USA mags aside from Motorcycle Consumer News. The British and U.K. rider-writers state just what they think and will trash bikes they don't like, even if that brand advertises in the magazine.

The FJR has not been loved by the U.K. press from the beginning. I respect their opinion, even though I disagree. I also understand that they don't have the wide open spaces that I enjoy out here in the American West, the type of roads on which the FJR excels.

In agreement with others posting here, I do think that bike testers should compare manually shifting FJR's to the other bikes, not the AE.

Ron